A night at the movies

We have been lucky to have great Drive In theaters still operating near by. While we lived in Indiana we would get out to the Drive In with three screens and take in a triple feature. While Primo was a young baby we were up often and late anyway so why not catch a movie or two while we were up. Since moving to Portland we have found the Newberg Drive In on old highway 99W. On Friday night Beautiful was off work two hours earlier that usual so we loaded the car with chairs, blankets, food, and drinks and headed South to catch a couple movies. How to Train Your Dragon and Iron Man 2 were the movies with the first one starting at Dusk. Turns out Dusk is now 9 PM up here in the Northwest so it was going to be a late night.

We got there early and it was a good thing because the nice weather seemed to trigger the same god idea in a lot of minds. Primo joined the kids playing in the tall grass under the screen while Segundo sat with mommy eating whatever he could get his hands on. We got a bucket of popcorn but finished it before the sun went down and the bucket became a helmet for both of the kids. They were in an out of the car playing all over the place and getting nice and worn out. The wind picked up and we all got back into the car just as the previews started. Primo sat with Beautiful and Segundo was on my lap until about half way into the movie when he fell asleep sitting up. He just started leaning farther and farther forward until he nearly took a header into the dash. I put him into his car seat with a blanket and that was the last we heard of him for the night. Primo made it through the first movie but he too fell asleep on my lap just before the Iron Man started. I kept him there for the whole two hours just because as he gets older those times are happening less often.

Segundo marveling at Primo's new helmet

We enjoyed both movies but most of all we loved being at the Drive In and continuing that tradition with our boys. It is a tradition that both Beautiful and I enjoyed as kids and with less and less theaters still running it is one that is fast ending for most families. If there is a Drive In near you I highly recommend checking it out. The movies are a bit cheaper but the experience is where you get the most value. Bring some chairs and some blankets. Grab a cooler and some snacks but make sure you go to the snack bar too. The Drive In makes their money on the snack bar and if we want these venues to stay around we need to make them successful. We didn’t get home until 1:30 AM night but it was a great night for the boys and for us. One that we hope to repeat a number of times this summer.

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5 comments for “A night at the movies”

I might have to check out Screens on the Green down at the National Mall this summer. I think my daughter would love it. Sounds like a blast.
.-= DC Urban Dad´s last blog ..What did you learn this weekend? =-.

I’ve always wanted to go to a drive-in movie. In the city I live now, and the previous one, both had old abandoned drive-ins that shutdown a few years before I moved there. One day I’ll get to go to one. 🙂
.-= twistedxtian´s last blog ..Sitting! =-.

I am so glad we still have a movie theater around here, even if it is a bit of a drive. I’ve been hoping to take the family to that theater this summer, and it’s good to hear an encouraging report about it.

I grew up in the Sacramento area and we had a bunch of drive-ins there. The last film I saw in a drive-in was near Sacramento: “Life Force” – some time in the 1980s. A long time ago.

Sounds like such a cool idea. We have a lot of outdoor movies during the summer here in our hood. Will have to take one in this year with our guy.
.-= Seattledad (Luke, I am Your Father)´s last blog ..Balancing Acts =-.